European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Multicenter Study
Number of organ dysfunctions predicts mortality in emergency department patients with suspected infection: a multicenter validation study.
The aim of this study was to validate the association between number of organ dysfunctions and mortality in emergency department (ED) patients with suspected infection. ⋯ The number of organ dysfunctions predicts sepsis mortality.
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Multicenter Study
Length of stay in emergency department and cerebral intravenous thrombolysis in community hospitals.
Current guidelines for the early management of patients with acute ischemic stroke recommend completion of an evaluation within 60 min of the patient's arrival at the emergency department (ED) because prolongation of ED length of stay (LOS) may reduce the efficacy of acute stroke treatment. ⋯ A prolonged ED LOS, because of ineffective prehospital logistics, ED urban location, patients' risk factors, and cohabitation profile and stroke symptoms and severity, commonly exists among patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack and contributes toward a low rate of IV thrombolysis in Polish community hospitals.
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There is only limited information on patient satisfaction with emergency medical services (EMS). The aim of this multicentre survey was to evaluate patient satisfaction in five out-of-hospital physician-based EMS in Austria and Switzerland. ⋯ Patient satisfaction in out-of-hospital physician-based EMS is generally high. There is room for improvement in areas such as the social skills of dispatchers and EMS-team members and the comfort of the patients during transport. A checklist should be developed for basic articles that patients should take along to hospital and for questions on responsibilities for children, dependent people or pets.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: a multicentre cohort study.
The aim of this study was to describe the presentation of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) and identify factors contributing toward misdiagnosis. ⋯ The classical signs and symptoms or rAAA are not always present and patients frequently show additional features that may confound the diagnosis. A high level of suspicion should be adopted for rAAA alongside a low threshold for immediate computed tomography. Further research is required to develop an objective clinical risk score or predictive tool for characterizing patients at risk.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Bradykinin-mediated angioedema: factors associated with admission to an intensive care unit, a multicenter study.
Bradykinin-mediated angioedema is characterized by transient attacks of localized edema of subcutaneous or submucosal tissues and can be life-threatening when involving the upper airways. The aim of this study was to determine the features of acute attacks that might be associated with admission to an ICU. ⋯ Upper airway involvement is an independent risk factor for ICU admission. Corticosteroid use, which is an ineffective treatment, and C1-inhibitor concentrate use are factors for ICU admission. The presence of upper airway involvement should be a warning signal that the attack may be severe.